Thomas Tuchel believes Karma will help England seal a famous victory over Mexico at the Azteca Stadium

England manager Thomas Tuchel is convinced that “karma” will favour his side in Sunday’s World Cup last-16 clash against Mexico – a return to the very stadium where Diego Maradona wrote one of football’s most controversial chapters with his “Hand of God” goal 40 years ago.

On 22 June 1986, Maradona punched the ball past Peter Shilton in Argentina’s 2-1 quarter-final win, a goal that stood despite the clear handball. Four minutes later, he scored what became known as the “Goal of the Century”, a dazzling solo run that remains etched in football folklore. That defeat is still one of the deepest scars in English football history.

Now Tuchel hopes his team can exorcise those ghosts on the same turf. “It’s karma,” the German coach said. “Karma will come back for us. We will turn it around. This is a big moment to make peace with the stadium and turn things around.”

Tuchel was just 13 in 1986, but the images have stayed with him. “Of course I remember Maradona’s World Cup. Those two goals against England – one was a dribble, the other would never be allowed today,” he said. He also recalled a peculiar detail from the Azteca: “I remember something hanging in the middle of the pitch, and the shadow never moved. It was like a board was suspended – the sunlight was so intense that the shadow stayed right on the centre circle.”

Tuchel revealed that England’s St George’s Park base still features large photographs of that match – including images of Gary Lineker scoring and Peter Shilton in action. “It’s a huge moment to reconcile with this stadium,” he added.

However, Tuchel conceded that Mexico will hold a significant advantage – the Azteca sits at roughly 2,240 metres (7,200 feet) above sea level, where the thin air reduces oxygen intake with every breath, severely testing players’ endurance. Research shows that athletes need one to two weeks at altitude to acclimatise and produce more red blood cells. England, however, will arrive in Mexico City just two days before kick-off.

“Altitude will be a massive disadvantage because we cannot adapt physically,” Tuchel said. “It takes too long. We have only three days between matches. Physiologically, it is impossible to adapt.” By contrast, Mexico have played all four of their World Cup matches at high altitude – three at the Azteca and one in Guadalajara. “That’s a huge advantage for Mexico,” Tuchel added.

Mexico’s record at the Azteca is formidable – 70 wins, 17 draws and just two defeats in 89 official matches; in World Cup finals, they are unbeaten in 10 games at the venue. “It’s an iconic stadium. It’s an iconic game – Mexico against Mexico, with the whole nation against us, the energy of the entire stadium against us,” Tuchel said.

Beyond the altitude and hostile atmosphere, England must also brace for off-field distractions. Ecuador previously complained to FIFA about Mexican fans using loudspeakers, horns and motorcycles outside their team hotel to disrupt their rest. England have prepared accordingly – the squad will keep their hotel location under wraps, and players who do not bring their own sleep equipment will be offered earplugs, sleep headbands or white-noise devices. “We anticipate all that,” Tuchel said. “But what can we do? We’ll be ready.”

Tuchel also confirmed that Declan Rice played through pain in England’s 2-1 win over DR Congo, having sustained an injury during that match. “I asked him, and he said ‘I can do it for the team, but I’m in severe pain’,” Tuchel explained. Rice later said the pain was not a problem and is expected to be available against Mexico.

The eagerly anticipated last-16 tie kicks off on Sunday (1am BST Monday morning) at the Azteca Stadium. When asked what he would say to parents whose children want to watch the live broadcast, Tuchel smiled: “Write a note to the school and let them watch. There’s plenty of time for school, but the World Cup comes only every four years. Let them watch. There’s a big game four days later, and we need everyone’s support – especially the kids’.”

---